Welcome: CHANGZHOU ALADDIN LIGHTING TECH CO.,LTD
hotline
TEL:

86-86381090-8009

Home > News > Industry news > Everything you need to know about the LE…

Everything you need to know about the LED stripe lights (2)

How to Connect LED Strips


Each LED strip segment must be connected to a DC power supply, or another LED strip segment that is connected to a DC power supply (daisy chain). The connection method will depend on the type of wires or plugs provided with the LED strip, as well as whether or not the DC power supply includes a plug. If you are familiar and comfortable with soldering, oftentimes this can provide the most cost effective and flexible solution.

Not sure how or don't want to deal with solder? You can also use solderless connector accessories to connect LED strip segments to power supplies and other LED strip segments.


Aluminum Channels & Heatsinking

Despite their versatility and ease of use, LED strips are nonetheless bare circuitboard components. Mounting the LED strips inside of an aluminum channel, along with a diffuser cover, can significantly improve the aesthetics of a lighting installation.

Aluminum channels are typically long pieces of extruded aluminum in a U or V shape. The LED strip is them placed and secured (using the double sided tape) at the bottom of the channel. A long piece of frosted polycarbonate plastic (typically provided with the aluminum channel) then snaps onto the top of the aluminum channel.

You may have correctly read elsewhere that LEDs need effective thermal management for reliable operation. Higher quality LED strip light products actually underdrive the LEDs, and are designed to last tens of thousands of hours without any heatsinking. During operation, the LED strip can get warm to the touch, but the temperature rise is far below the thermal limits of the LEDs and circuitboard components. (Our products typically exhibit temperature rises of 55 F or 30 C over ambient temperatures, without any heatsinking).

The aluminum channels may help dissipate the heat from the LED strips, but for the most part they are not necessary for thermal management and are primarily for mounting and diffusion purposes.


Dimming and Color Control

Unlike LED bulbs, all LED strips are dimmable when paired with the correct equipment. There are two methods of dimming LED strips: a traditional phase-cut wall-dimmer, or a DC low-voltage dimmer. The AC phase-cut dimmer approach is typically most ideal for residential and commercial lighting applications where the dimming input signal comes from a traditional wall-switch dimmer. This setup requires a TRIAC dimmable power supply.

A DC low-voltage dimmer or (RGB) controller is typically in the form of a manual or digital dimmer module that is placed between the DC power supply and the LED strip. This approach is best suited for color changing applications or less permanent lighting installations.


Determining LED Strip Quality

Sometimes, it can be tricky to distinguish between LED strip lights designed for high performance and longevity, and those that are not. Below are some pointers for knowing where to look.

  Circuitboard Composition & Quality -  For higher power LED strips, the quality and specification of the underlying circuitboard is paramount. Because high levels of electrical current must travel through each section, sufficient copper material is needed. Look for LED strips with a copper weight of at least 2 oz, and ideally 4 oz to ensure the circuitboard can handle the higher power - otherwise, you can become victim to voltage drop.

  LED Quantity & Quality - The efficiency, quality and stability of light output is directly determined by the LED emitters. Look for LED strip lights that place stringent quality controls and specifications on the LED emitters, and watch out for LED strips that claim a high power despite a low LED count, as this can indicate overdriving the LED emitters, leading to premature failure.

  LED Strip Surface - High quality LED strips will usually include an extra coating of white paint to help increase the reflectivitiy of the light and increase overall light output. Lower cost LED strip options will use skip this step, keeping the copper color exposed. This can affect both the brightness and color of the light, especially in an aluminum channel installation.



Scan the qr codeClose
the qr code